As summer sets in with earnest, now is about the time many homes are enjoying the full potential of their solar power.

But did you know clean solar panels are more energy efficient? Here’s a guide to cleaning solar panels, and why it should be part of your annual roof and gutter clean.

Grime reduces output

Just as you clean your windows on a regular basis, a solar panel clean should also be on your annual to-do list. Research indicates a build-up of dirt, grime and animal droppings can reduce the output of solar panels, while caring for and maintaining your panels can also increase their lifespan.

In fact, a study of soiling on solar panels found the accumulation of dirt on the collector surface can reduce the power generated by between 10 per cent to 40 per cent or more on a monthly basis.

The extent of this impact varies depending on location and climate conditions, but ultimately can increase the cost-of-electricity and the viability of the system.

The main offenders

When it comes to the type of soiling that may impact your solar panel efficiency, the usual offenders come into play.

These are the common pollutants you would find on most roofs like leaf litter, dust, bacteria and fungi, along with bird and bat droppings.

As to the main offender, research indicates bird and bat droppings are by far the biggest potential problem. Unlike leaves which are likely to be shifted with wind or rain, bird and bat droppings can set onto the panels blocking light and reducing solar input.

In the interim this build up of debris on your panels can also potentially cause hotspots which may lead the panels to crack.

Meanwhile, even a build-up of dust has the potential to reduce your electricity output in both the short and long term, particularly if the solar array is in a location prone to dust and pollution.

How should solar panels be cleaned?

In a nutshell solar panels should be cleaned gently. These valuable pieces of infrastructure do not tolerate harsh scrubbing or strong chemicals as they can damage the surface of the panels.

Basically, nothing stronger than the detergent used to wash dishes should be utilised to remove grime from your solar array, and remember this is a job where safety needs to come first. Roofs can be dangerous places where the risk of falls is very real.

Gutter-Vac solar panel cleaning

In addition to cleaning gutters and roofs, Gutter-Vac offers professional solar panel cleaning that allows you to keep your system operating at maximum efficiency.

We gently clean solar panels of grime and debris using a soft brush vacuum and/or demineralized water to achieve the optimal result while keeping panels unblemished and safe. 

The means you can rest assured your solar panels will be brought back to maximum efficiency at the same time as your roof and gutters are thoroughly cleaned and maintained.

About Gutter-Vac

Gutter-Vac is a national company proudly offering the highest quality technicians in the gutter cleaning industry. Each of our technicians is equipped with specialised training in Gutter-Vac’s vacuum technology and provides quality customer service with an emphasis on safety.

You can learn more about our services here, or contact us directly to book your next gutter or tank clean.

Across Australia, this summer is expected to be a potentially devastating bushfire season, and now is the time fire authorities are urging residents to be bushfire ready.

Among the preparations that homeowners and landlords can undertake is to ensure their gutters are clear of leaf litter.

Here’s an insight into the role gutters play in fire prevention…

Fire fuel

Reducing bushfire risk involves reducing the fire fuel that lies around your property. This includes trimming overgrown grass, cutting back trees that are close to the house, and removing leaf litter and dry tree branches or twigs that might lie about the garden.

While considering this fire fuel, every homeowner should also turn their attention to their roofs and gutters. Over the course of just a few months, leaf litter and twigs can accumulate in gutters and this poses a fire risk in a host of ways.

Ember attack

Often in a bushfire it’s not the immediate threat of a fire approaching but the embers which travel on the wind which can pose the most serious hazard. These embers can land kilometres from a fire front and start additional fires where they settle.

In fact, it’s estimated up to 85 per cent of homes which burn down in bushfires fall victim to an ember attack rather than approaching flames.

One of the prime places these embers settle is on the roof of a house. If your gutters and roof are littered with leaves, the chance of a fire starting greatly increases.

Water storage

When a bushfire is imminent, fire authorities recommend homeowners fill their gutters with water and block the downpipes. This is to mitigate the threat of ember attack.

If your gutters are wet and your roof is also hosed down, it can reduce the chance of an ember settling and lighting a fire.

Roof condition

Meanwhile it’s not just leaf litter and debris that homeowners should look to clean from the roofs and gutter.

They should also turn their attention to the general condition of their roof. Embers can also make their way into the roof cavity of a home through cracked tiles, unsecured tin roof sheeting and any gaps between the gutter and the home or roof.

That means in addition to cleaning their roof and gutters prior to fire season, homeowners should also have the general condition of their roof inspected and have any damaged areas attended to.

How we can help

Not only is Gutter-Vac a leading gutter cleaning company across Australia, we also provide free roof and gutter reports as part of our service.

This ensures you mitigate fire risk by clearing your gutters of debris and can also remedy any areas where embers can make their way into the home from the roof.

About Gutter-Vac

Gutter-Vac is a national company proudly offering the highest quality technicians in the gutter cleaning industry. Each of our technicians is equipped with specialised training in Gutter-Vac’s vacuum technology and provides quality customer service with an emphasis on safety.

You can learn more about our services here, or contact us directly to book your next gutter or tank clean.

There’s a lot to consider when it comes to buying a franchise – what industry, what brand, what sort of reputation does the existing business have?

But one of the key questions potential franchisees should consider is whether they’d prefer a franchise with fixed premises or one that’s a mobile operation.

Easy to establish and affordable to run, a mobile franchise can offer a host of benefits to operators who want the freedom of running their own business without being tied to a location.

Here are just some of the benefits when it comes to operating a mobile franchise…

Reduced set up costs

Regardless of whether its hospitality or accounting, fixed premises entail set-up costs like leases on commercial premises, fit out to suit the franchise, plant and equipment, and the installation of commercial signage.

A mobile franchise potentially offers a more affordable solution. While there will be costs for plant and equipment, it’s likely to be less expensive than fitting out an entire site, and there are no office or commercial leases involved.

Instead, your vehicle or trailer is your mobile office, requiring only registration, signage and insurance.        

No two days are the same

With a mobile operation, every day is different. Your office is wherever your customer needs you to be. For those who love the great outdoors or who don’t fancy being tied to a desk, this is a major drawcard.

Meanwhile, mobility means you’re constantly out in your community and meeting your prospective clientele.

For the customer, there’s also added convenience. They only have to make a call for you to come to them.

It’s mobile advertising

One often-underestimated asset of a mobile franchise is that it offers mobile advertising, courtesy of the signage on your vehicle and/or trailer.

At Gutter-Vac, for example, we play this to its strengths, with each franchisee receiving distinctive and recognisable branding and signage as part of their franchise package.

You can work from home

Many people are attracted to the idea of owning their own business due to the freedom it offers.

A mobile franchise embraces this lifestyle. Your paperwork can be completed at home, your hone can be a mobile device, and you can schedule jobs when and where you choose, around other priorities like family life. 

Hours and staffing

With fixed premises comes the expectation you will be open during business hours or even extended hours in the instance of hospitality.

That means you need to be on deck or have staff at the premises to accommodate your customer’s needs.

With a mobile franchise like Gutter-Vac, it’s up to you the hours you work, and you’re free to run your business as a sole operator or bring on any staff you need.

Why Gutter-Vac?

Gutter-Vac is an established brand with more than 20 years’ experience in the home services and maintenance industry. We’re proud to work in a service industry that continues to expand as more housing stock is built to meet Australia’s growing population needs.

Meanwhile, we’ve developed a proven system to clean gutters and water tanks using proprietary technology that is second to none. We also pride ourselves on the consistent support and training we offer our ever-growing family of franchisees.

If you’re looking to learn more about our exciting franchise opportunities, download our brochure here.

Gutter guards can be a highly effective way of reducing leaf litter and large debris in your gutters, but they’re no substitute for regular cleaning, and like any product, some gutter guards are better than others.

If you’re considering investing in gutter guards, here’s what you need to know.

What is a gutter guard?

Gutter guards come in a number of forms, some more effective than others. Some are simple mesh that sit over the top of your gutters, others are like a long brush featuring bristles that are placed inside the gutter, while some are permanently affixed to the top of your gutters and made from lightweight metal.

Their main aim is to stop large debris like leaf litter and twigs from making their way into your gutters in the first place.

Ultimately, the right gutter guard may reduce the volume of build-up in your gutter system, particularly if your property is in a highly vegetated area. But contrary to popular belief they don’t eliminate the need for cleaning, and some types of gutter guards are preferred over others.  

Cleaning is still required

No matter what type of gutter guard you employ, your gutters will still need to be cleaned on a regular basis. That’s because no guard can entirely filter out all debris such as dust, dirt and sludge. If they did, they wouldn’t allow the water in and then channel it away from your house.

The style of guard counts

Although there are a wealth of gutter guard choices available, when considering which option is right for you, a number of factors need to be taken into account.

Ideally, a guard will:

• Keep large debris like leaf litter out
• Deter vermin and pests
• Still allow water to freely flow through the gutter system
• Be readily removed for cleaning
• Stay in place between cleaning

Permanent is not preferable

These days there are a range of permanent gutters guards available which are affixed to the gutters of a property. These are not ideal for a number of reasons.

When a gutter guard is permanently installed, it makes it harder to access for cleaning, and, make no mistake, beneath the permanent mesh sediment will eventually build up. Ultimately, this sediment can block and add unnecessary weight to your gutter system.

In the interim a permanent structure over the top of your gutters offers an ideal environment for vermin to hide, and that can have serious ramifications.

Vermin, like rats, frogs or snakes can impact the quality of tank water. They can also block the drainage, and should they perish in that confined space, they will need to be removed.

The right solution

As experts in gutter cleaning, Gutter-Vac offers a unique and purpose-designed gutter guard solution in the form of Gutter-Flow. Our Gutter-Flow guards are designed to accommodate the free-flow of water, are easily removed, deter vermin, and reduce the build-up of large debris in your gutter system.

They are also simple to install and more affordable than many people imagine.

Whether you’re looking to install the system yourself or wish Gutter-Vac to assist with a hassle-free installation, you can learn more about Gutter-Flow here.

About Gutter-Vac

Gutter-Vac is a national company proudly offering the highest quality technicians in the gutter cleaning industry. Each of our technicians is equipped with specialised training in Gutter-Vac’s vacuum technology and provides quality customer service with an emphasis on safety.

You can learn more about our services here, or contact us directly to book your next gutter or tank clean.